Rumour – Smash Bros-style fighter in the works at Superbot

Whispers have fledgling developer Superbot working on a PlayStation 3-exclusive fighter starring characters from Sony’s first-party line up.

According to the Paul Gale Network, the game is called Title Fight, plays in a similar fashion to Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros series, and has been in development since 2010.

The site names Twisted Metal’s Sweet Tooth, Parappa the Rapper, God of War’s Kratos, Sly Cooper, Uncharted’s Nathan Drake, Killzone’s Colonel Mael Radec and Fat Princess as part of a cast of at least 20 characters. Player characters may be voiced, with Parappa the Rappa noted as frequently speaking.

Interestingly, the site claims a Daniel Craig-like James Bond will appear, as Sony is collaborating with MGM on the next entry in the film franchise.

Non-player characters are said to appear in the various arenas. The site names Sandover Village as a Hot Shots Golf-themed level, which includes interactive features like water hazards. A LittleBigPlanet level includes Buzz! remotes which can be collected to interrupt the action with a short trivia quiz, turning the tide of the fight.

Although the developer is kept under wraps, the Internet provides: Eurogamer noted Superbot’s website described the new studio as “an exclusive developer of Sony Computer Entertainment America currently in production of a yet-to-be announced PS3 title”.

Two job adverts drop hints as to the developer’s activities – one calling for a senior combat designer with “a strong familiarity with fighting games and fighting game theory”, and another for a lead designer with “a strong familiarity with online mode and matchmaking design as they apply to console gaming”.

NeoGaf users then unearthed a number of tweets from senior level designer Chris Molina which reportedly gave several clues, but the staffer has since deleted his entire account.

Gaf’s backups show a designer working on a female character model with a resemblance to Uncharted’s Elena; staffers playing with arcade fighting sticks; a Parappa plushie in the studio’s “capture station and waiting area”; Sweet Tooth from Twisted Metal; and an error message mentioning both Kratos and Sweet Tooth.

“Checking out the original art assets from a Sony IP title we’re appropriating for my level – very cool seeing this environment in raw form,” Molina allegedly tweeted, along with “Second level design pitch approved by our studio leads! Now onto Sony Santa Monica for a final green light”.